The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-05
For The UNIvERsALIsT.
DA GHTER OF MY SPIRIT.
BY DR.. s. FILLMORE BENNETT.
Author of the Sweet By and By"

In an aforementioned summer, when the world
was calm and still,
And the sunshine's golden splendor glorified
each vale and bill,
When the meadows pride and gentain and the
foxglove on its brink
Mingled fragrance with the music of the tune
full nippersink,
When the breezes, like fond spirits in their
pleasure to be free,
Sang song unto my spirit of beautiful To-
Be-
Then WIS born a daughter to nae, daughter
not by blood of kin,
But daughter of my spirit that the sweet
Christ led within
Open portals of my being, waiting for Loves
christening.
Though somehow felt presence and a thrill
of pow'r divine,
And loves complete compassion drawing her
heart unto mine,
She was like stranger angel, not beside me
just in place,
And read not all the pleading that transfie-
ured her dear face,
When at first, with timid faltering, as goal
that she must win,
At my hearts door she came knocking, plead
ing, "Father, let me ini"
As the unlearned miner, holding in his palm
aprecious gem,
With score of worthless pebbles, knows it
not by sight from them,
Till its heart of fire is opened at the touch of
skillful hand.
AS the primal light outblossomed at the Mas
ter's first command
So, l knew not half the soul-light of the heart
that called to me,
Till communion op'ed its treasures aud my
blinded eyes could see.
Then l felt the sweet incoming of higher
life. and grand.
And touched plane of feeling that 'erst
could not command!
| On me dawned celestial morning, with a light
| that was loves own,
| And its air was full of music to my ear before
unknown,
| Bringing such thrill of pleasure as when
hearts all sad and lone,
| Greet from Heav'n long lost angel, and with
| glad cries kiss their own;
And my heart. at first reluctant, opened wide
its guarded door,
And babe my daughter enter to be mine for
| evermore!
After that, how careful strove I that her feet
might never know
Fen one path of mortal sorrow that so many
tread below,
| Watching, like prayerful gardiner, that this
new, just budding how'r
| Might be shielded from the tempest. and the
SUMS too ardent pow'r,
Till its petals sweet, should open in affections
loving light,
And fill all my life with fragrance, as the star.
light fills the night.
| How she grew, to me n seeming all most Low.
able and fair,
Making all my life a poem sung to an en-.
chanted airl
How the touch of her soft fingers soothed the
! aching of my brow,
| When the worlds load seemed so heavy that [.
even I, must bow.
How the ripple of her laughter and the music
of her speech,
Brought to me a sense of gladness that before
l could not reachl
How there grew mutual trusting, that some
lives too little know,
| In the souless tide of being, with its ceaseless
! ebb and fowl
How, as some sweet spell, descending like a
white.winged, heavenly dove,
Came the benediction to me of her white-soul
ed priceless love,
| Till the garden of my spirit that had lain in
shadows gray
OF cherries autumn twilight, sudden BIOS
somed into May,
| With the light of May, and fragrance of that
sweet months early flowers,
And the notes of Mays glad music filling all
the singing hoursl
And song of great Thanksgiving, like an an
them from on high,
Lifted up my soul on pinions of its gladness to
the sky.
Till the untold story splendors of the spheres
were meath my feet
And the pulses of my being with the pulse of
Heaven beati
All, about my raptured spirit rose wave of
such great peace,
That it fioated in an ether of a faith that
brought surcease
From all doubtings of the future, from all
trembings cold of fear,
Till the very gates of Heaven seemed inviting
ly anearl
was fain to cross the threshold; but vision
fair arose,
'Twixt my heart. that longed to enter, and that
City of Repose.
In the semblance of my daughter, that the
sweet Christ gave to me-
And 1 earthward turned, contented by her
faithful side to bel
| o, my daughteri o, my daughterl Could my
arm have shielded thee
From the cruel fate that wrought thee less
happy destiny
Than my fond heart had predicted, and my
hope had fashioned fair
AS star that gleameth brightly through a
summer evenings air.
If the arrow shot to wound thee, could have
cut my heart in twain,
And my life have ta'en the sorrow and the
bitterness and pain,
All, how gladly had offered 1t target for the
bow
And the cruel shaft that entered thy pure
breast of virgin snowl
Lift up heart of hope, my daughterl Thou
hast sorrowed without sinl
Ope thy spirits darkened window, that the
sunshine may come inl
Never burden made so heavy but the dear